Principles of cargo attachment to cytoplasmic motor proteins

The attachment of cytoskeletal motor proteins to cargo-laden vesicles is crucial for efficient transport in intracellular membrane trafficking pathways. Recent studies have identified specific kinesin-binding and dynein-binding proteins that could serve as membrane-associated 'receptor' proteins for the respective motors. New insights have also emerged about the cargo-binding domains of the motor proteins, and the regulation of motor binding to cargoes.